When radio listeners cease every opportunity to interact with their celebrity friend- RJ Himanshu Chhabria from 98.3 Mirchi, they relive the tagline, Mirchi Sunnewaale Always Khush.
While pursuing degree in Electronic Media, Himanshu always dreamt of becoming a radio jockey. Fascinatingly, the college placement landed him in 98.3 Mirchi as an intern. “I learnt everything by observing senior RJ’s; recorded demo shows and within 3 months received the green signal to go on-Air.” Sharing with Brainfeed about his exciting career, he draws a precise map that leads to a career in radio.
Why Radio Jockey is a good career option?
Radio is a local platform which gives you the space to express your views on local issues with unmatchable freedom. YOU become the voice of your people. So, for someone who loves to interact with people, entertain them, has a sense of providing listeners with a musical treat and is extremely creative, Radio is the best platform to build a career.
What skills are required to become a good RJ?
It’s very important to have a point of view on whatever things are happening around. If you don’t, you won’t have anything to speak in your shows. Students should be up to date with current affairs. Second is, whatever you speak should be clear as a crystal. RJ has a very limited time, a link of mere 40 seconds to 1 minute. You have to create a magic in that 40 seconds. For improving voice modulation, practice at home, record your own voice, listen to it and modulate to sound better. You need to wrack your brain consistently and come out with creative, innovative ideas because, at some point if you get bored with your own show, then the listener will definitely get bored and you can’t afford that. So, one should be aware, able to speak clearly, innovate and create that magic.
How should schools help students in inculcating skills within them?
Practical learning is very crucial for preparing the students towards this career. Session of tasks: For example, group discussion. They can have session specifically for this. A big thing has happened in the society that day and students are divided in two groups. Now students will speak on that one by one. This will help them to increase their potential in expressing themselves quite effectively. The fear will also vanish. They can also create dummy radio shows and students can act as Rj and interact with their listeners. The tasks should be practical as well as creative. Or a problem-based task where they need to solve it. It is a city-specific problem. They can suppose that they have the contacts of authorities, they the support of people because people are listening to you. Now, what will you do to solve that problem. So, they have to come out with a plan. They can either just present a dummy radio show of one hour where they will list what all they would do.
What will be the state of Radio in 2030?
Today, with easier loans, cars are increasing on road which is directly proportional to radio listenership. While this increase confirms the growth, its strength will sustain it. When people don’t get a platform to speak, radio provides them that space to speak on any local issue or major happenings. This is the power of radio. Secondly, with tech evolution, radio will transform, but it will never die. AI and VR can help us in technical management but emotions, feelings and relationships involved can’t be replaced by a robot. The emotions, feelings and relationships involved can’t be replaced by a robot. It needs a human; someone who is one of them, residing with them and facing those same problems.
It is changing, its dimensions are increasing, and it is going from on-Air to on-Ground and on-Digital.
What are the challenges in this field?
Being a multi-tasker and extremely creative. The competition is extremely tough. You have to innovate at each moment. You cannot afford to relax. There will be tasks outside your comfort zone for instance, at a time I had done three shows at a stretch. As radio is not confined to on- Air now, being digitally sound is a big task. On one hand you have to do your radio show, simultaneously, you will have to create your digital posts, videos, memes, etc. At the same time, you should have the capability to go on-ground and interact with the people. It can be anything from conducting a contest on the streets to taking bytes of localities on a current affair or some social issues. You need to keep bringing new things everyday which is very exciting and challenging at the same time.
